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Turkish leader stresses need to stablish independent Palestine

ANKARA, Dec 2 (KUNA) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas spoke over the phone on Saturday to discuss the status of Jerusalem.
The two leaders reviewed the latest developments in Palestine and the Middle East, Turkey's Anadolu Agency (AA) reported, citing a Turkish presidential source the source.
President Erdogan emphasized that an independent and sovereign Palestinian state should be established with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He reiterated Turkey's firm support for the "just cause" of the Palestinian people, and urged lifting the unfair blockade on Gaza Strip that constitutes an impediment to peace.
Abbas, for his part, thanked Erdogan for his supportive stance on the Palestinian cause and his care for the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The conversation and other contacts between Abbas and Arab and European leaders come amid media reports that US President Donald Trump plans to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel on Wednesday. (end) rs.gb